Raiders landing Pat Sims highlights Wednesday's under-the-radar deals

By landing Pat Sims, Oakland gets a young, rising player.

There were some big-ticket signings Wednesday in the NFL, and some big names as well.

But I always like to focus on those under-the-radar signings, the kind of signings that don't get much attention but are good moves by the teams.

There were several of them Wednesday as the money started to dry up a bit -- or at least the spending did.

Here are four I liked:

---The Raiders signing former Bengals defensive tackle Pat Sims. He was a backup in Cincinnati behind two good players in Geno Atkins and Domata Peko. And he also battled through some injuries. But when he was on the field he was a power player who has his best football in front of him. The Raiders got him on a one-year deal, so he will be motivated. I like this move a lot.

---The Broncos signing of former Jaguars defensive tackle Terrence Knighton. He was in the doghouse last year for some reason and didn't get as many snaps as expected. But a lot of his teammates say he shouldn't have been treated that way. When he's in shape, which he is now, he can be a force in the middle. I think he let his treatment get to him last year. But he is a good kid and will be a nice addition in the middle of the Denver line, especially on a two-year deal.

---Chargers signing of former Bills guard Chad Rinehart. He missed a lot of time in 2012 with injuries, but he was a good player in 2011 when injuries forced him into the lineup. San Diego lost Louis Vasquez to the Broncos so they needed help inside. This is a nice move by San Diego to get him on a one-year deal.

----Cardinals signing of former Colts corner Jerraud Powers. He has battled through some injuries, but Powers is a nice, solid corner when he's on the field. He isn't an elite player by any stretch, but he is a more than capable of being a quality starting corner for the Cardinals.

Pete Prisco has covered the NFL for three decades, including working as a beat reporter in Jacksonville for the Jaguars. When he's not watching game tape, you can find Pete on Twitter or dreaming of an...
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